70. Princess Esemeray
PRINCESS ESEMERAY
Swimming for many painful minutes, Esemeray followed the heavy blood trail leading toward the bottom of the lake. Nearing a cave, her heart leapt into her stomach, her tail whipping faster than before, pushing herself to the limits.
Riggs.
His body, trapped in the arms of the water creature, getting torn to shreds, chunks of flesh drifting around him. Esemeray’s body repulsed, a sob working its way up her throat.
She needed to be strong—needed to save him.
Pushing her turmoil down and away, Esemeray rushed toward the creature, biting down on the Rouskla’s leg.
The too-thin flesh clung to her teeth like a taffy, rot spreading across her tongue with every work of her jaw.
The creature eased on Riggs, whipping its neck, and pinning Esemeray with dark, sunken eyes.
Esemeray didn’t care, not as she turned toward Riggs, floating freely through the water, his lifeless eyes staring out into the vast, a cloud of blood levitating around him.
Her lungs seized.
No!
She swam toward him, her heart pounding in her ears.
Riggs!
No way to carry him.
She’d have to shift into something else.
Think.
Think—
Esemeray winced, fire spreading down her back, nails gouging her spine. She refused to take her eyes off him. Despite the burning, she took each slash over and over again by the Rouskla, while she figured out a strategy.
I’m so sorry, Riggs.
I’m so sorry.
Esemeray spun her tail around, and with one hard thrust, she sent Riggs flying toward the surface. Killian will find him.
Ire surged through Esemeray’s veins as she turned toward the creature and bared her teeth.
She was going to kill the thing that hurt him.